


Found

by walkalittleline



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Episode 85 Spoilers, Gen, implied beaujester, implied fjorclay, just team cleric love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2021-02-08 07:30:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21472312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/walkalittleline/pseuds/walkalittleline
Summary: “You knew,” she says, her voice thick and shaking with the warning of more tears, “didn’t you?”“Let’s say I had a very strong inkling,” Caduceus replies, smile when she gives a watery laugh and wipes her hand across her nose. “It wasn’t my place to say, though. But I’m glad he did it on his own.”
Comments: 5
Kudos: 116





	Found

**Author's Note:**

> someone please check in one Caduceus immediately

When Jester leaves the room, he doesn’t go back to sleep with the others. Rather, lies silently awake listening to Beau’s snoring and Fjord’s occasional snuffling next to him—he quiets him easily enough with a hand on his arm, a comforting warmth to calm the dreams he knows he must still have even if Uk’otoa isn’t officially causing them. 

When the door finally opens and Jester slips back inside over an hour later, he sits up, holding up a hand to let her know he’s awake as she shuts the door, casting them in darkness again save the dim lantern light flickering off the wall. She weaves her way through the others towards him and he shifts closer to Fjord so she can sit next to him. It’s not hard for him to know the cause of the puffiness of her cheeks or the redness of her eyes. He tucks one arm around her shoulders and she smiles weakly.

“You knew,” she says in a low whisper, her voice thick and shaking with the warning of more tears, “didn’t you? You always know what people are thinking.”

“Let’s say I had a very strong inkling,” Caduceus replies, smile when she gives a watery laugh and wipes her hand across her nose. “It wasn’t my place to say, though. But I’m glad he did it on his own.”

“That’s what you were talking to him about,” Jester says, peering up at him, her eyes wide and luminous in the firelight. “When you took him the tea?”

Caduceus hums, nodding. “While you and Caleb were drinking dubious milk.”

“_I_ never drank it,” Jester retorts, wrinkling her nose in disgust. Her expression softens and Caduceus sees her eyes turn bright. “Thank you, Caduceus.”

“I know how complicated family can be,” Caduceus says, unable to see the sadness out of his voice.

“You miss them,” Jester says quietly, her hand settling against his spine comfortingly, small and warm.

Caduceus nods, swallowing back the sudden lump in his throat and blinking rapidly. “It’s, um,“ his voice shakes and he clears his throat, “it’s been a long time since I’ve seen them. I don’t even know if they’re alive.”

“I can message them,” Jester offers, “if you’d like.”

Caduceus shakes his head. “I have faith that the Wildmother will protect them as she has protected me,” he says. “It would be… a disservice to her to break that faith.”

“Wanting peace of mind isn’t a lack of faith,” Jester says. “Besides, maybe the Wildmother  _ wants _ me to send them a message because they don’t know how to send you one!”

Caduceus chuckles softly.

“Maybe,” he says. He sighs. “I’ll think about it.” 

He doesn’t tell her how afraid he is at finding out he might be wrong. He’s taken the idea that no news is good news to heart in the years since the last of his family left the Grove. 

“You know we all love you very much, right?” Jester says. “We can be your family for now.”

Caduceus smiles and gives her a squeeze around the shoulders.

“I’d like that,” he says with a nod. He glances down Fjord, his head pillowed next to his thigh, and touches one hand lightly to his hair. There’s an ache of fondness in his chest, something unfamiliar that’s been growing slowly for the last month or two.

“I’ve seen how you look at him.”

Caduceus starts, gaze darting to Jester, who’s now giving him a faint, knowing smile.

“I don’t—I mean, it’s not—“

“It’s okay, Caduceus,” Jester says with a soft laugh. 

“I’m sorry,” Caduceus mutters guiltily. “I know you… I mean, I don’t expect anything to happen.”

“Caduceus,” Jester says, gently touching his arm. “Don’t worry, I don’t… not anymore. I haven’t felt that way for awhile.”

“Oh?” Caduceus says. He feels a rush of relief followed by an immediate sinking feeling. “Suppose it won’t matter either way, though.”

“You never know,” Jester says with a shrug. “He cares about you a lot. I mean he picked the Wildmother over the  _ Traveler _ so he must  _ really  _ like you.”

Caduceus smiles, a pleased flush warming his face.

“Besides,” Jester continues, “if I help you with Fjord, you can help me.”

“With Beau,” Caduceus says, nodding knowingly.

“Caduceus!” Jester exclaims in a loud whisper. She narrows her eyes suspiciously. “How long have you known?”

“I mean, neither of you are exactly subtle.”

Jester grumbles but doesn’t argue and Caduceus smiles. 

“You should get some sleep,” he says as she yawns widely, “I can take next watch.”

“Thanks, Caduceus,” she says around another yawn. “And thanks again for… everything.”

She hugs him firmly around the middle and he has to hunch down to return it, though he does so readily.

“You, too,” he murmurs. 

She shifts carefully back to her spot in the nest of blankets and pillows they’ve made between Beau and Nott, curling up under her blanket and shutting her eyes almost immediately.

Caduceus settles back against the wall, smiling down at Fjord and brushing his hair back off his face when he shifts in his sleep. The furrow in his brow smooths again and Caduceus lets his hand linger on his temple for a moment before folding both hands in his lap and fixing his eyes on the door to take his watch.


End file.
